Postdoctoral Training Policy
T32 CAM Research Training in Neuroscience and Stress
October 2009
I. Compensation and Benefits
In general, because they occupy training positions, postdoctoral appointees are considered to fall into the "student" category rather than the "employee" category with respect to compensation and benefits.
I.1. Stipend
The minimum stipend for Postdoctoral appointments is the NIH NRSA stipend level in effect on the starting date of the appointment. Payment of stipends at higher rates (or supplementation of stipends) is subject to policies of the funding source (e.g., NIH Grant Policy) and must be approved by the Department Chair (and Training Grant Director if applicable).
This is a full-time research position. Post-docs desiring some time (less than 20%) for other responsibilities including teaching and clinical work need to have it approved by their mentor and the T32 director.
I.2. Health Care
Postdoctoral Appointees and their families shall have access to a comprehensive health care plan consistent with coverage provided to other individuals in similar training positions at OHSU. The basic costs for access to the health care plan will be covered by the individual or institutional training grant or from the Mentor’s research funds.
(1) As of January 1, 2008, postdoctoral appointees began participating in the same benefit plan made available to Unclassified Employees at the University. T32 awardees will now receive $7,850 per year for their medical and dental packages. They may elect to enroll in more costly health and dental options, but the NIH T32’s contribution is capped at $7,850. Any additional premiums will be paid by the Postdoctoral appointee.
(2) Postdoctoral Researchers (appointees paid by the University as employees, not via training grant of fellowship stipend) are also eligible to enroll, at their own expense, in other programs available to Unclassified Employees (short and long-term disability insurance, dependent care spending accounts, etc), and may contribute to the University Voluntary Savings Program (403.b.)
I.3. Retirement benefits
Because these are temporary training positions, postdoctoral appointees are not eligible for retirement benefits.
I.4. Holidays, Vacation and Leaves
Appointees receive the same paid holidays as OHSU or, if applicable, OSU faculty employees. In addition, Appointees may take up to 10 paid vacation days per appointment year (start date to end date). Scheduling of vacation days must be approved by the Faculty Mentor. Appointees and Mentors are expected to be both reasonable and flexible in making decisions about the student's commitment of time to laboratory work as well as other training-related activities when scheduling vacations. The time period between academic terms is considered to be active part of the training period. Unused vacation days may be carried over from one appointment period to the next. However, Appointees will not receive payment for unused vacation days when their appointments end.
Appointees may take up to 12 days of paid sick leave per appointment year. Sick leave accrues at the rate of 1 sick day per month. Additional sick leave is without pay. Whenever the number of days of sick leave in an appointment year exceeds 12, the Appointee must provide written notification to the Mentor and Training Program Coordinator (and Training Grant Director if applicable) and consideration must be given to whether the Appointee is able to maintain his/her training responsibilities. If it appears that continued leave will interfere with satisfactory completion of the training program, the Appointee may be terminated from the program. A period of terminal leave is not permitted, and payment will not be made for sick leave that is not taken.
Postdoctoral Appointees may take pregnancy, parental or family leave as these terms are defined by the OHSU Administrative Policy Manual. Up to 12 days of such leave may be taken each academic year as paid sick days in accord with the sick leave policy described above. Any additional leave is without pay, unless allowed by the granting agency or funding source. Postdoctoral appointees are entitled to take up to 12 consecutive calendar weeks of pregnancy, parental, or family leave per academic year. Individuals intending to take such leave must provide advance written notice of their intent to the Mentor and Training Program Coordinator (and Training Grant Director if applicable). Extended leave for Trainees is subject to final approval by the granting agency. Postdoctoral Appointees who return from pregnancy, parental, or family leave within 12 weeks will be reinstated at the same stipend level in effect when the leave began.
There may be additional restrictions or requirements for Trainees who receive stipend support from individual or institutional traineeship or fellowship awards from NIH or other sources. Students should consult their training program director and the awarding agency for additional information.
I.5. Travel and Research Expenses
Postdoctoral appointees are allowed up to $1,000 in travel funds to attend research-related conferences or events. There are no funds for study costs. Courses and workshops are allowable expenses if applicable to all T32 awardees. It is expected that some additional funding will be provided annually from both the individual and/or the mentor’s research funds. The department and training programs do not provide funds for moving expenses.
II. Program Requirements
II.1. Courses
If not previously taken, it is required that awardees enroll in the Neurobiology of Disease and Practice and Ethics of Science courses. It is recommended that OHSU trainees take part in the Human Investigations Program.
II.2. NIH Public Access Policy
The NIH Public Access Policy ensures that the public has access to published results of NIH funded research. It requires scientists to submit final peer-reviewed journal manuscripts that arise from NIH funds to the digital archive PubMed Central upon acceptance for publication. To help advance science and improve human health, the Policy requires that these papers are accessible to the public on PubMed Central no later than 12 months after publication. For detailed instructions on how to comply with this policy, please refer to the NIH website.
III. Trainee Citizenship
At the time of appointment to the training program, individuals selected for research training supported by NRSA institutional training grants must be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United States, or must have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence, i.e., in possession of a currently valid Alien Registration Receipt Card I-551, or some other legal verification of legal admission as a permanent resident. Non-citizen nationals are generally persons born in outlying possessions of the United States (e.g., American Samoa and Swains Island). Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible for Kirschstein-NRSA support. In addition, trainees must be able to commit full-time effort in the program at the time of appointment.
Relevant Resources:
NIH Loan Repayment Program
NIH Public Access Policy
http://www.ohsu.edu/library/scholarlycomm/nihpolicylong.shtml
NIH/NCCAM Support Acknowledgement
http://nccam.nih.gov/grants/policies/acknowledgement.htm
